tung4 lau4 hap6 wu1同流合污
Jyutpingtung4 lau4 hap6 wu1
Yaletùhng làuh hahp wū
Definition
To associate with evil people; to join bad people in doing evil deeds.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong moral judgment and is typically used to describe someone who compromises their integrity to fit in with a corrupt group. It implies a conscious choice to abandon one's principles rather than just being misled. You will often hear it used in professional or political contexts when criticizing someone for failing to stand up against unethical behavior.
Examples
He didn't want to get involved in their corruption, so he decided to quit.
How could you go along with them and cheat people out of their money?
Related words
Common phrases
refuse to be complicit
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say 'hanging out with friends,' but it is strictly reserved for negative, unethical, or illegal activities. Do not use it to describe normal social gatherings.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
